Ukraine receives $800 million in military assistance from the United States, which includes heavier and more powerful equipment

*Paromita Das

The United States announced an additional $800 million in military aid for Ukraine on Wednesday (April 13) in order to provide security assistance to the war-torn country.

It is worth noting that the United States is providing Ukraine with heavier, higher-capability equipment for the first time since Russia launched its invasion.

US Vice President Joe Biden announced and detailed the latest military aid to Ukraine. Previously, the United States provided military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

11 Mi-17 helicopters, 18 155mm howitzers, 40,000 artillery rounds, counter-artillery radars, 200 armoured personnel carriers, and 300 additional “Switchblade” drones are included in the new package.
The US is supplying howitzers to Ukraine for the first time.

The US President spoke on the phone with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky. Following the call, the White House issued a statement revealing all of the details.

“I just spoke with President Zelenskyy and informed him that my Administration has authorised an additional $800 million in weapons, ammunition, and other security assistance for Ukraine,” Biden said. “As Russia prepares to intensify its attack in the Donbas region, the US will continue to provide Ukraine with the capabilities it needs to defend itself,” he added.

According to Biden, the US and its allies’ consistent supply of weapons to Ukraine has been critical in resisting the Russian invasion.

He stated, “It has contributed to Putin’s failure to achieve his initial war goals of conquering and controlling Ukraine. We can’t relax right now. As I assured President Zelenskyy, the American people will continue to support the courageous Ukrainian people in their fight for liberty.”
John Spencer, a retired US Army major and urban warfare expert at the Madison Policy Forum think tank, commented on the latest military assistance.

“In this phase, I think it is a policy shift, say, absolutely we recognise that Ukraine needs the ability to fight Russia in the open and prevent basically their loss in Eastern Ukraine, right?” he told Reuters.

“I think this is a shift in policy and recognising the tools that are required — that’s definitely different,” he added.